Woman found guilty of not following Megan’s Law requirement

A local woman convicted of kidnapping her own children in December 2012 has now been found guilty of not following Megan’s Law requirements she was placed under in the first case.

A Centre County jury found Shaunda D. Hopkins, 42, guilty last week on separate felony charges for failing to comply with registration requirements, according to prosecutors.

The former Philipsburg resident was acquitted on a less serious charge of making unsworn falsification to authorities, a misdemeanor.

Hopkins was accused of providing false information on registration paperwork, claiming she worked at one business when she had not been employed there since 2009, and failing to update her information after being terminated from another company.

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Her attorney, public defender Deborah Lux, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday evening.

“It is imperative that persons convicted of triggering offenses accurately fulfill their reporting under Megan’s Law, now known as SORNA, or they will be prosecuted,” Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said in a statement. “It is a serious offense that carries lengthy prison time.”

Hopkins was previously charged in June 2012 after she took her children to Texas and refused to return them to their father, ignoring a court order, according to prosecutors.

Authorities were concerned Hopkins would take the children and flee to Panama or Mexico, where she has family

Centre County Judge Bradley P. Lunsford sentenced her to serve 30 days to 231/2 months in county jail followed by two years of probation in that case.

She was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 15 years due to her conviction for interference with the custody of children.

Hopkins will be sentenced in the current case in February.

The woman owned Sugar on Top, formerly a cupcake business in State College, and competed on “Cupcake Wars,” a competition reality show that airs on Food Network.